New materials, published this October half term, highlights some of the locations that residents will be able to visit using the new East West Rail services once up and running.
Once the whole route is opened up, East West Rail will connect with five major rail routes: the Midland Main Line, West Coast Main Line, East Coast Main Line, West Anglia Main Line and connections to the Great Western Railway.
The East West Rail scheme is set to re-establish a rail link between Cambridge and Oxford to improve connections between East Anglia and central, southern and western England.
The line will provide the first direct rail link in more than 50 years between Oxford and Bletchley/Milton Keynes.
The services will allow residents in Milton Keynes and Bletchley to travel to Cambridge, Oxford, the Cotsworlds, Northumberland and Stansted and Luton Airport.
Jill Farnsworth, Chief Executive, MyMiltonKeynes Business Improvement District, said: “East West Rail will be a huge boost for businesses and major leisure destinations in central Milton Keynes and beyond, attracting inward investment to the local economy and connecting people to job opportunities and enjoyable days out across the city.
“The new railway will be a catalyst for sustainable growth, providing people with quicker everyday journeys they can enjoy in a hassle-free way and we are excited to see it start operating its first passenger services.”
Jerome Baddley, Director of Sustainability at Center Parcs, said: “Sustainability and carbon reduction goals are central to our business, so we are excited at the prospect of more of our guests being able to use a greener form of transport in East West Rail to travel to our village in Woburn Forest. The new railway will connect communities and provide our guests, including those who don’t drive, with a new opportunity to visit us in a sustainable, stress-free, and reliable way.”
Scudamore’s Punting Company in Cambridge said: “The anticipated enhancement in rail connectivity to Cambridge offers promise, and we hope it could positively impact accessibility and provide a gentle boost to the city's tourism sector.”
The new connections and travel opportunities feature in a new animation published on the EWR Community Hub, where EWR Co is asking communities to list the UK destinations they would consider travelling to by rail once EWR passenger services are running. To get involved, visit the website.
